On Devil’s Canyon tonight, the thrill of finding gold in a natural stream is on display as Boyce Goff, Jr. explains the physics of gold settling and how clay cushions the descent into soil and riverbeds.
In this exciting exclusive clip, Boyce sluices in a promising spot and finds amazing amounts of gold!
In explaining his strategy, he says: “My previous location was not working out so I’m moving up this stretch of river bank to find the chunky gold I’m looking for. It kind of really pays off, what I’m looking at right here.
Explaining the dynamics of how gold settles over time, Boyce says: “I’ve got a huge clay layer it’s all right in here….The gold will sit on top of the clay or just the first couple inches of it.”
We learn that gold is a very heavy element, so once it’s deposited by a river it begins to sink into the ground. Over time, the gold keeps sinking until it hits something that will stop it. Clay being dense traps the gold and slows its descent through the ground.
Working hard surveying the riverbanks, Boyce spies a clay bed and he is motivated.
He says: “I think what I’m going to do now, I’m going to take some samples off the side of the hill and if there’s gold here, we’ll be right on top of the clay layer.”
His quest for the famous chunky gold that The Devil’s Canyon is known for has him keyed up for a discovery.
He moves over and sluices in a new spot after finding gold dust pieces and from the looks of his reaction, he has hit a mother lode of nuggets!
Also on the show tonight, Ben has a critical food shortage, but unexpected snow may yield some wild game.
Devil’s Canyon ‘Hell And High Water’ airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on Discovery.